


love thy neighbor

by wackpainterkid (swanandapirate)



Series: Manon's Mondays [6]
Category: SKAM (Netherlands)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-22
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-07-11 10:22:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19926523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanandapirate/pseuds/wackpainterkid
Summary: I just needed a scene of Noah gushing over Liv to someone so I wrote it myself lol. And then I thought: what could make this fic even better? The return of the OG noliv shipper, ma’am neighbor, of course. @smileykeijser once named our lovely neighbor Elisabeth and I've been calling her that ever since, so credits for the name go to her.





	love thy neighbor

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed a scene of Noah gushing over Liv to someone so I wrote it myself lol. And then I thought: what could make this fic even better? The return of the OG noliv shipper, ma’am neighbor, of course. @smileykeijser once named our lovely neighbor Elisabeth and I've been calling her that ever since, so credits for the name go to her.

It is because Noah looked outside of his window and saw the dark clouds rolling in, that he thought to stay ahead of the rain by leaving slightly earlier for Liv’s, that he thought that that would be the smart choice.

However, now he is caught in what might be the worst rain deluge in a long while and no matter how much he rings Liv’s doorbell, the door stays shut.

His phone is also completely out of battery, he discovers when he wants to try and call her.

So not only is he drenched, but he is also at Liv’s place way too early without a way of contacting her and she’s not home.

All things considered, everything fucking sucks.

He’s covered from the rain, but the raindrops continue to run across his face, tracing a path from his forehead, along his temple to his cheek. At first, he tries to wipe them away, but he soon gives up. It isn’t as if his hands are dry. He combs his wet hair out of his face. 

He normally has a great view of the city, here from the sixth floor right outside of Liv’s apartment. But now the city is covered with an opaque curtain of rain, reaching as far as his eye can see. A sigh leaves his body. He’s not going back into that downpour.

“Hello, young man,” says a voice in the distance; it’s just loud enough to be heard against the clatter of the rain.

Noah turns around, his eyes leaving the grey city skyline and going in search of the person who addressed him.

It doesn’t take long before he sees her, umbrella above her head, green raincoat as a protection against the rain. He recognizes her, even though it has been a while since he’s last seen her. 

“Hello, ma’am,” he replies.

Liv’s neighbor had been a pivotal part of his early visits to Liv’s apartment, early both in the day and in their relationship– not that he could really call it a relationship back then. Every time Liv rejected him, rejected his offer to accompany her to school, the presence of her neighbor acted as a balm, because at least someone was nice to him, at least someone was happy to see him.

A lot has changed since the last time he encountered her.

“No one’s home?” the woman asks, casting a look at him, soaked and the door in front of him, closed. As she approaches him, her tiny dog toddles behind her on its leash.

He shakes his head and the movement makes a few drops fall out of his hair. 

“I think I’m just early, they should be home soon.” A small smile follows his words to reassure her.

In reality, he doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know the time, doesn’t know when Liv is getting home, doesn’t know how long he is supposed to wait outside before he can enter her apartment. But he doesn’t tell the woman that.

“You’re not going to wait out here in the rain, are you?” She frowns as she watches the horizon he was watching earlier and pulls her coat a little tighter around her.

Noah doesn’t want to but there is no other option. He wants to look for a place of refuge but there isn’t really anywhere for him to go to.

He opens his mouth to answer but closes it again, what is there to say? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to have to do?

It seems like Liv’s neighbor still understands, even if he doesn’t answer.

“You’re very welcome to wait inside of my apartment and maybe drink a cup of tea,” she proposes with a kind expression in her brown eyes.

And just the idea of being inside and having a warm beverage makes Noah forget about how soaked all of his clothes are and how cold he is. It makes him smile.

“That sounds wonderful.”

“I’m Elisabeth,” she introduces herself, “and this is Mara.” She gestures towards her dog.

“Noah.” 

“Alright, Noah. Let’s go hide from this dreadful weather. Come on, Mara,” she says, her hand gently tugging the dog’s leash.

Noah follows Elisabeth to her apartment, which is located on a different floor from Liv’s front door. Their steps slow down as they near her home. She asks him to hold Mara’s leash while she searches her giant bag for the set of keys that will open her door and he complies, watching Mara. She seems to also suffer in the cold, as her tiny body keeps on shivering.

The door finally opens, and Elisabeth takes Mara again. They walk inside and he lets out a subdued sigh once the warmth of the inside hits his skin. Noah looks around. The apartment has a similar layout as Liv’s house does but it’s smaller, more meant for a couple than for a gang of teenagers who live together. 

Noah doesn’t see any traces of anyone else living here, however; he can only spot things meant for Mara.

As he’s busy with taking off his coat and shoes, Elisabeth disappears for a moment. She reappears with two small towels. One, she hands to him and the other she uses to dry off Mara.

“Thank you,” he says and dries off his hair. He remembers his empty phone. “Elisabeth, I was wondering whether you have a phone charger. My battery died.”

“I’ll go check,” she promises as she stands up after petting Mara. “You want some tea in the meantime? I’ve got Earl Grey and red fruits.”

“Earl Grey would be great.”

Elisabeth goes into the kitchen and leaves him alone with Mara in the living room. Noah takes time to study the room, walks around with slow steps and lets his eyes fall on everything he comes across. He looks at the books in the bookcase, at the motif of the carpet on the floor; he scrutinizes the paintings on the wall.

“Admiring the decor?” Elisabeth asks, and he’s almost certain that there’s a quip in her voice. Her presence catches Noah off-guard and makes him startle. More time must’ve passed than he realized.

Once he recovers, Noah chuckles. He toys with the ring on his finger. “I’m a painter so I have to consider all art with a critical eye.”

“Oh, are you?” With care, she sets a steaming teapot on her table and a set of cups next to it.

She continues to empty her hands by handing him a charger. “I hope this one will work.” 

He considers the cable for a second before concluding that it is exactly the one he needs.

“Perfect!”

“So, what do you paint?” She pours tea in one of the cups before pointing him to a power outlet where he can plug his phone in.

It immediately lights up when he does. Crouching near, he taps in his code and as soon as he does, it starts to vibrate.

Texts from Liv she sent fifteen minutes ago trickle in.

_Liv: IM NOT HOME YET_  
  
  


_Liv: I’m still at Esra’s. Ralph and I are waiting for the rain to stop so don’t leave yet. I’ll let you know when we’ll leave. See you soon!_

He locks his phone and stands back up. “All sorts of things but mostly abstract art,” he answers her question as soon as he takes place at the table.

“Interesting. I wish I could paint too. Sugar?”

He shakes his head and grabs his cup. “Anyone can paint,” he tells her and it’s truly what he believes. 

There’s no right or wrong way to paint. It is just taking a brush and spreading color on a canvas. There are far too many people who think they know better, who think they are better than others because they’ve appropriated something that should belong to all, should be accessible to all. 

She lets out a tiny scoff.

“No, I’m being honest,” he says with sincerity in his voice. “If you want, I can drop off some painting equipment next time I’m around. And if you want, I can even give you some painting classes.” His lips curl in a wide smile and Elisabeth squeezes his arm with a similar smile.

“You’re too kind, boy.” Her eyebrow goes up as she sips from her tea.

You _have_ been around more recently. I’ve noticed.” 

“Have you?” the words come out in a coy way and he doesn’t want them to.

“I have,” she confirms. “I’ve seen you with my lovely neighbor a couple of times. I take it she is done with running away from you?”

Noah can’t help but laugh as he rakes through his still-damp hair. “She is. Luckily,” he adds.

He takes a sip of his tea, feels it slowly but surely warm up his inside and chase away the cold the rain had left there.

“Though, she did have every right to run away back then.”

He does have to admit that. Noah is fully aware of how his behavior was far from admirable and pleasant back then. 

“Did she?”

“Oh yes. The way Liv treated me back then was fully deserved. I’ve learned since. Liv doesn’t mince her words and I wouldn’t want her.”

“Honesty is important.”

“It is is. I had to learn that when we got together.”

And maybe it’s the question in Elisabeth’s gaze but Noah tells her their story. Because he wants her to know. There aren’t that much adult people aware of it, nor does he personally see the use of telling it to others but it’s somehow different with Elisabeth. There’s something calming and soothing in her eyes, in the way she treats him. In the way that, after so little time together, he trusts her. And he wants her to know to hear what she has to say about it, hear what kind of advice she can give him.

So, he tells her. From start to finish.

And she listens.

And frowns, and places her hand on her heart, and laughs

“There’s this duality when were together,” Noah admits, and he hasn’t truly said this thought out loud before. “I both feel like we belong with each other and I’m also very aware of how much better a person she is. She’s kind, she’s caring. I mean, her laugh can light up the world. She’s feisty and funny.”

He takes another sip from his cup. His tea has passed the point of lukewarm and it makes Noah realize how much of the conversation has been from his side. And how much of that part has been about Liv.

“Sorry,” he suddenly says.

“Don’t apologize, boy,” Elisabeth replies, seemingly knowing what he’s talking about. “Young love is one of the best feelings in the world. I still miss that feeling.”

Noah hears the sorrow in her voice and wants to ask her about it, wants to express his sympathy but before he can, his phone suddenly lights up and starts ringing. 

“That’ll be Liv,” Noah announces before leaving the table. And indeed, a picture of Liv graces his screen.

“Hey,” he greets her over the phone. “No, it’s fine. I’m right around the corner. Yeah, I’ll be right over. See you soon.”

“Liv’s home, so I’m going to…” he points over his shoulder 

“Yes.” Elisabeth nods understandingly.

“Thanks for the tea and the shelter.” He tries to express the magnitude of his gratitude in his words.

Imagine if he had to spend all the time he spent inside with lovely company outside in the cold instead.

“You’re very welcome.”

He goes to hug her and she hugs him back.

“Oh, and Noah?” she says as he’s walking towards the door. He looks over his shoulder. “Bring Liv next time.” She winks.

He laughs. “Will do,” he promises. “Bye, Mara.” He rubs her head. “Bye, Elizabeth.”

Before the door truly closes, Noah can hear Elizabeth say one last thing, he presumes to Mara.

“Seems like Liv chose a good one.”

And Noah's smile only continues to grow with her approval. 

**Author's Note:**

> Is now a good time to introduce the term "neighbor-in-law"? Next week, you should get some angst (emphasis on should because that was actually supposed to be this week and look at how that turned out)


End file.
